Came to Utah in 1848 in Aaron Johnson Company; Counselor to the Bishop; Veteran Black Hawn War; President of the Provo Bench Canal Company. First Sunday School Superintendent in Sunday School Union; Doctor; Justice of the Peace

About Thomas Jefferson Patten, Sr.

Thomas Jefferson Patten was born April 10, 1828 in Fairplay, Green County, Indiana to his parents, Dr. John Patten and Hanna Ingersoll. He was the nephew of David Wyman Patten who was the first martyr of the LDS church. The family joined the LDS church among the earliest members. They endured all the persecutions of the early Saints and endured the mobs and were driven out of Clay, Davis and Caldwell Counties and in 1833 moved to Jackson County, Missouri, and were eventually driven out. They eventually settled in Nauvoo across the Mississippi on the Iowa side of the river. Thomas grew up in Iowa and was baptized in April 1836 by Isaac Morley. He went into the Pine Woods of Wisconsin. At the age of 19, his father, Dr. John Patten died at Winter Quarters, on April 8, 1847, leaving him head of the family taking the place of his father. He and his mother brought the family to Utah.

He was married to Joanna Hollister, April 25, 1853 in Provo and soon after their marriage, he served in the Walker War for some 3 years. They were called to a special colonization mission to Carson Valley Nevada for a year. They saved $200 in the spell of peace and prosperity and intended to buy a little farm in Provo, Utah, when the Utah Black Hawk War broke out and were called to give their savings for ammunition and guns. He was a High Priest, Bishop's counselor, veteran of the Walker and Black Hawk Wars, president of the Provo Bench canal, county Justice of the Peace, 1st Sunday school superintendent and served in the Provo city council. In the Spring of 1863, Thomas took up a homestead on Provo Bench-now called Orem. They were the first family to settle on Provo Bench.

At this time, there was no water on Provo Bench (Orem) and had to haul water barrels up by oxen team from the Spring Creek and did so for 3-4 years. In the year 1865, the Provo Bench canal was begun and Thomas was instrumental in getting water to this area. He worked as a foreman over a large crew of men until the project was done. Thomas was a leader, courageous, unselfish and gave ground for the first church house and school house and tithing yard on Provo Bench. His homestead consisted of the whole quarter section south of what is now the Lincoln High school. It was on his farm that the first alfalfa was grown and did so just to prove that it could grow after people warned him it could not be grown. He grew sugar cane and owned and operated the only molasses mill at the time. He also raised honey bees and his place was a gathering place for young and old to come and make molasses and honey candy. He developed the first fruit apple and peach orchard in the valley and in 1882 built a nice home among the orchard. He died December 14, 1909, on his homestead on Provo Bench (Orem), Utah.